Background
Jack Melloy was born in Brisbane, the youngest of six children of Charles Frederick Melloy and Ada Louise Crampton.
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Jack Melloy
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Career
Jack Melloy was a dental technician. He was President and secretary of the Dental Technicians Association of Queensland. He served as the union representative on various dental committees.
During World World War II, he was a Staff Sergeant for the Australian Army Dental Corps from 1942 to 1946.
From 1951 to 1952 he was organiser and industrial advocate for the Federated Miscellaneous Workers" Union. Jack Melloy joined the Australian Labor Party in 1922 at the age of 14.
Jack Melloy first ran for public office in 1949 as a Labor candidate for Buranda in Brisbane City Council elections but was unsuccessful. He stood for the federal electorate of Lilley in 1955 and 1958 but was unsuccessful both times.
In 1960 he was the Labor candidate in the Queensland electorate of Nudgee (defeating Frank Sleeman, who was later Brisbane"s Lord Mayor) and was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Queensland.
He remained as member for Nudgee until his retirement in 1977. He was Shadow Minister for Health from 1967 to 1972, where his background as a dental technician made him passionate about the state"s lack of dental services and the poor health systems for generally. In 1974 Melloy was elected deputy leader of the State Labor Party, defeating Keith Wright and Jack Houston.
He remained deputy leader until 1976.
He championed the safari suit (a short-sleeved jacket worn without a shirt designed for wear in warm climates) by wearing one in Parliament but was told to leave and derided as a hippy. Other family members serve in executive positions of branches of the Labor Party.
Jack Melloy was awarded life membership of the Australian Labor Party in 1984. He served his party for over 80 years.
Achievements
Politics
His interest in socialist politics was influenced by his trade unionist cousin Walter Russell Crampton. He retired in 1977, but continued his political activities through assisting his politically active family in their campaigns. At age 95, he was still handing out how-to-vote cards on election day, loyal to his party.
